Conventional rotary screw compressors often use intermeshing rotors to compress a working fluid. More specifically, a working fluid entering into a compression chamber of the compressor may be captured in a space between the rotors and housings. The captured working fluid may then be displaced along the rotors as the rotors are rotated. Further, the rotors are typically configured to reduce the volume of the space in which the captured working fluid is contained as the working fluid is displaced along the rotors, thereby compressing the working fluid. The compressed fluid may subsequently be released from the rotors and discharged from the compression chamber through a chamber outlet.
As described by physical gas laws, the temperature of a working fluid will typically increase as the working fluid is compressed. Further, the efficiency of the compression process typically decreases as the temperature of the working fluid increases. Thus, removing heat from the compression process, such as, for example, removing heat from the working fluid that is being compressed, may at least assist in improving compression efficiency. Cooling the working fluid that is undergoing compression may be achieved in a variety of different manners. For example, some rotary screw compressors, such as, for example, water-sprayer type compressors, circulate a coolant into the compression chamber that comes into contact with the working fluid. The coolant is utilized to absorb heat from the working fluid. A variety of different fluids may be used as the coolant, including, for example, water or water based coolant, among other fluids. Further, compressors are often configured to at least attempt to remove the coolant from the compressed working fluid prior to the working fluid being released from the compressor.
Rotary screw compressors often also use a lubricant, such as, for example, an oil, to provide lubrication for the components of the compressor, such as, for example, bearings and gearing. Yet, the integrity of the lubricant, as well as the lubricating characteristics of the lubricant, may be adversely impacted if the coolant and/or working fluid contaminates the lubricant. Similarly, the lubricant may be considered a contaminant if the lubricant were to enter into the working fluid and/or the coolant in the compression chamber.